# Accident 19990708008519A: Bell 206B, Deadhorse, AK, July 8, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 8, 1999, 12:30 local time - Place: Deadhorse, AK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Starting Engines - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: FXKA - Location: 70.4299° N, 149.2897° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=70.4299&lon=-149.2897&mi=10 - Aircraft: N47122, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47122-2002-11-15) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Allison 250 SER 400HP (registry code 03013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 206B - People aboard: 4 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 6,500 total, 1,100 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99TA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99TA090) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990708008519A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. TUNDRA COPTERS AIR TAXI (1973 BELL 206B HELICOPTER) CRASHED ON TAKE-OFF AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED TO THE PILOT AND 4 PAX, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON JULY 8, 1999, ABOUT 1230 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, N47122, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING ENGINE START-UP, ABOUT 75 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DEADHORSE, ALASKA. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) U.S. GOVERNMENT FLIGHT BY THE U.S DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE HELICOPTER, PROVIDED BY TUNDRA COPTERS INC., FAIRBANKS, ALASKA, WAS UTILIZED ON AN ON-DEMAND 14 CFR PART 135 FLIGHT. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, AND THE THREE PASSENGERS, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. VFR COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON JULY 8, 1999, THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR TUNDRA COPTERS INC. REPORTED THE PILOT LOADED HIS PASSENGERS INTO THE HELICOPTER AT A REMOTE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY SITE. THE PILOT THEN BEGAN AN ENGINE START, BU T A MAIN ROTOR BLADE TIE-DOWN STRAP WAS STILL ATTACHED TO ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES. AS THE ROTOR BLADES BEGAN TO TURN, THE STRAP STRUCK THE HELICOPTER'S VERTICAL STABILIZER. THE HELICOPTER RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, AND THE STABILIZER. (-23) PTRS#AL01199904347 ON ENGINE START PILOT DID NOT REMOVE BLADE TIE DOWN. WOUND AROUND VERTICAL STAB. CAUSING TAILBOOM TO TWIST. NO HAZMNT ON BOARD. (.4) ON JULY 8, 1999, ABOUT 1230 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, N47122, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING ENGINE START-UP, ABOUT 75 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DEADHORSE, ALASKA. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) U.S. GOVERNMENT FLIGHT BY THE U.S DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, FAIRBANKS, ALASKA, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE HELICOPTER, PROVIDED BY TUNDRA COPTERS INC., FAIRBANKS, ALASKA, WAS UTILIZED ON AN ON-DEMAND 14 CFR PART 135 FLIGHT. THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT, AND THE THREE PASSENGERS, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. VFR COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD (NTSB) INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), ON JULY 8, 1999, THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR TUNDRA COPTERS INC., REPORTED THE PILOT LOADED HIS PASSENGERS INTO THE HELICOPTER AT A REMOTE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY SITE. THE PILOT THEN BEGAN AN ENGINE START, BUT A MAIN ROTOR BLADE TIE-DOWN STRAP WAS STILL ATTACHED TO ONE OF THE ROTOR BLADES. AS THE ROTOR BLADES BEGAN TO TURN, THE STRAP STRUCK THE UPPER END OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER, CRUSHING THE LEADING EDGE IN AN AFT DIRECTION. THE HELICOPTER'S TAIL BOOM WAS DEFORMED AND WRINKLED, JUST FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC99TA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99TA090), Jul 8, 1999: Bell 206B (N47122), Deadhorse, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the pilot-in-command to perform an adequate preflight inspection, and remove a rotor blade tie-down strap. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.